Kimberley Didgeridoos

The Kimberley region, situated in the north of Western Australia, is the home of the Bardi, Ungarinyin, Worora and Wunambal people, among others. There are social and ceremonial links that connect them to the Murinbata of NW Northern Territory and also to the Garadjari south of Broome.

The didgeridoo entered the Kimberley region from the Northern Territory sometime in the late 19th century. It is used in the Kimberley mainly in the non-religious dance form known as Wangga. The local playing style is not well developed compared to the more dazzling styles of Arnhem Land: the rhythms are simple and repetitive, no overtone is used, and the techniques are rudimentary.

Whilst instruments used in the Wangga are usually undecorated, those produced for the market from the 1960s onwards were often decorated with naturalistic paintings and incised decorations.